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how obesity shaped a life of ambition and empathy: 'i was born this way'
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virginie blanchette, who grew up in rural quebec, feels strongly about self-love and acceptance. although she felt good in her body, made good friends, and participated in sports and social events, she says society didn't approve.
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virginie blanchette proudly quotes lyrics by songstress lady gaga: “i was born this way.”
“i’ve had weight problems back as far as i know. i was a bigger girl. i was a bigger teenager and i was a bigger adult,” she says. “i was living in a larger body. i really felt that i was ok in my body.”
just as lady gaga talks about how we’re all born superstars, virginie, who grew up in rural quebec, feels strongly about self-love and acceptance. although she felt good in her body, made good friends and participated in sports and social events, she says society didn’t approve.
“it was doctors and people who were discussing my weight with my parents when the situation of my body started to be a problem,” she says. her parents put her on a diet to support her, as recommended by doctors who told the family she was too big for her age and her weight would impact her health.
as a young teen, though, she celebrated “who i was and what i wanted to be, even if i was in a larger body. i was able to have friends, to be a leader in my own family, play sports and do a lot of things.”
that confidence changed when she started to navigate the health-care system as an older teen becoming a woman.
‘i started to stress about who i was’
“you’re starting to have checkups, visits for prevention, consultation and you’re starting to become your own person who makes your own decisions. i started to stress about who i was and my body and the way people were talking about my body.”
the turmoil led to her feeling uncomfortable about her body, which spiralled into poor habits. she started hiding her stress-eating and losing her sense of confidence and ability. by university, that self-doubt grew.
“i started to feel that i was not enough because of my larger body. i needed to do more to be a good health-care professional, because i was in a larger body.”
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virginie studied medical biology and then went on to become a podiatrist, recognizing that foot health is foundational for mobility and capacity for daily activities. she also helped her grandfather with his mobility issues and was inspired to do as much as she could for others with similar challenges.
then she began to see her extra weight as a window to deep empathy and understanding for her patients, many living with type 2 diabetes and carrying additional weight.
personal experience supported her career
“it’s difficult to do physical activities when you have foot pain,” says virginie, 39, who’s also a new mom and focuses her research on foot health. her research lab is at vitam research centre in quebec city and she’s also a podiatry professor at the university of quebec in trois-rivières. life is busy.
“it can be really hard to follow healthy habits and do physical activities when you’re dealing with feelings around being in a larger body,” she says, explaining that her research has a patient-centred focus.
she helps people with diabetes who have foot problems and foot wounds, working to save them from amputation. foot wounds can be high-risk for further infection and poor circulation and high blood sugar levels that happen in diabetes slow healing. even minor injuries like cuts, blisters or heel cracks can quickly worsen if not properly managed.
“i’m a researcher, i’m also a mom, a friend, a daughter. i would say i have many roles, and i wanted to say out loud that we need to support the obesity cause.” virginie is also the director of advocacy and education with
parlons obésité, the french division of obesity matters, a national advocacy patient organization.
“by living in a larger body, i want to make sure that as a population we can support access to health care services,” she says of education around self-advocacy and obesity treatments.
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her own journey navigating the system has had its ups and downs, with a few examples she shares openly. one doctor put her on a protein diet instead of asking her questions to understand the underlying issues of her weight. diets fail because they aren’t sustainable and don’t address other biological and psychological factors that play a role in obesity.
when she was looking for help with fertility, being in a larger body became “trickier” because she faced stigma and had to find different specialists where she felt safe and supported.
health stereotypes can harm
“fertility is something that, when it’s already hard to become pregnant and if you’re not in the ‘wellness bubble’ [and fit healthy stereotypes] because of the obesity, it can be such a bad experience. it’s not only the result that matters,” she says of people who have a baby. “it’s also the journey and it’s why i started to support a group at the university of calgary that works on obesity stigma during fertility and pregnancy. i also work with a team at the university of sherbrooke.”
virginie’s advocacy has become even closer to her heart now. her mom passed away from an acute problem because of her frailty. her deteriorating health was also linked to obesity.
“what matters the most is to be able to raise awareness to the public to make sure that they are informed about their own health and about obesity and about where they can go for help. there are plenty of tools in the toolbox regarding obesity.”
she wants to put an equity lens on obesity, because those good lifestyle habits that support weight management are universal. “sleep well, eat well, exercise, whether people are living in a larger body or not. this is something that everybody needs to do.”
virginie is candid about her personal journey and becoming happy again about who she is in a larger body. she wants the same for others living with obesity.
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“if i have access to education, to the toolbox, whatever i need to support me, i will follow lifestyle habits to support a life rich in activities, free from the hospital and just be happy in my own body.”
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